Sewing machine



July 12, 1938. c. MEYER 2,123,738

SEWING MACHINE Filed Dec. 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet l L /EF/ f7 ATTORNEY July 12, 1938.v c, MEYER SEWING MACHINE Filed Dec. 12, 1936 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 BYharleS Myer @M ATTORNEY Patented July l2, 1938 i UNITED sTATEs- PATENT oFFicE SEWING MACHINE Charles Meyer, Yonkers, N. Y., assignor to Bartmann & Bixer Inc., New York, N. Y.

Application December 12, 1936, serial No. 115,503

(o1. 11g-22o) only by additional machining or suitable resetting operations. To overcome this diiculty and to facilitate the retiming of the needle is still a further object of this invention, the accomplishment of which is effectuated by suitably manipu- Iating the transnussion mechanism forming a part of this'invention.

It is within the further contemplation of this invention to provide an assembled unit containing the improvements above mentioned, and. adapted to be adjustably attached to a conventional machine either with no machining at all or a amount thereof.

And another object is to enable such adjust# ments to be made vin the device constituting the operative portion of my invention so that it can be applied to machines of slightly different dimensions, and' also for the purpose of compensating for wear.

Other objects, features and advantages will appear from the drawings and the description hereinafter given.

Referring to the drawings,

Figure 1 is a front partially sectional view of my invention assembled in operative position on a. conventional machine.

Figure 2 is a vertical section of Figure 1 taken along line 2-2 with the base of the machine re- 12 Claims.

This invention relates to sewing machines, and particularly although not exclusively to machines for performing ruilling operations.

In the conventional commercial machine of this type, there are two parallel shafts, the lower one being generally motor driven and operating the feed and looper mechanisms, and the upper one actuating the rutlling mechanism. The two shafts contain crankshaft or eccentric portions,

operatively joined by suitably positioned connecting rods; and these crankshaft portions are usually independent elements that are attached to the straight portions of theirlrespective shafts by couplings. Due to continued use, the bearing surfaces of the crankshafts, generally made of malleable iron, are subjected to wear, resulting in knocking, a whippingv effect and vibration, which in turn cause a loosening of the couplings. It is hence one ofthe objects of this invention to avoid these disadvantages and shortcomings and present a smoothly operating machine of extended useful lif,-an objective whichv I accomplish, in accordance with this invention, by

eliminating the crankshafts, connecting rods and i couplings, and substituting therefor a transmission mechanism containing a novel arrangement of gears, shafts and other elements, as will be more specifically hereinafter described.

It is also within the contemplation of this invention to provide an elcient and leak-proof automatic lubricating system, operated by the transmission mechanism constituting part of my invention.

Another and important obj'ect of this invention is to enable a sewing machine containing a plurality of' shafts to operate eitherv continuously or intermittently at a high rate of speed.

It frequently occurs in machines now in common use that a yarn or'thread becomes entangled in the hand wheel and the ruiiiing attachment inasmuch as these parts are positioned at the extreme upper right hand side vof the machine and in cl'ose proximity to one or more threads. It is one of the objects of this invention to remove 5 this danger byv so arranging the structure as to,

position the hand wheel and the rullier remotely from the yarn.

Whenever the conventional crankshaft and connecting rod arrangement is employed, the parts are assembled in fixed relative positions, such as by set screws or other keying means, so that they bear a permanent, fixed and nal relation to the position of the needle. "To eiect a retiming of the needle with respect to the position of the crankshaft is possible, in such cases,-

Figure 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the rullling attachment taken along line 3-7-3 of Figure 1.

Figure 4 is'afragmentary transverse section of the intermediate gear and adjustable mounting Figure 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the casing and enclosed parts similar to that shown in Figure 1, the casing being shown operatively attached to the housing of the ma- Figure 6 is a fragmentary section of Figure 5 taken along line 6 6.

Fig'ure 7 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of the two lower gears shown in Figure 2, illustrating a portion of the lubricating mechanism with the front Wall thereof removed,

Figure 8 is a fragmentary perspective of the `oil guide channelvconstituting part of this in- In the drawings the sewing machine housing I0 is adapted to receive two shafts Il and I2 the upper shaft Il being operably connected to the milling mechanism I3, which will be more specifically hereinafter described, and the lower 2 I arcanes shaft being driven by a motor (not shown) connected by belt I4 to pulley I5 which is suitably keyed to its shaft. This latter shaft is adapted to actuate the feed and looper mechanism of the machine in a conventional manner.

The framework of the conventional machine III contains a bushing I6 which is normally adapted to support the upper shaft, generally a crankshaft. In the structureA shown, another bushing I1 is inserted within the bushing I6, the latter bushingv I1 being somewhat longer than the surrounding bushing and extending into the hollow casing I8. The shaft II is operatively supported by -bushing I1, and carries on its right end the gear I9 which is held fixed in position by suitable keying means such as the set screws 28. Said gear I9 is positioned within the casing I8, and in spaced relation to the wall 2| forming part of the casing, said spacing being effectuated by the protruding portion of the bushing I1.

The said wall 2| contains therein the enlarged opening 22, which is of greater diameter. than the bushing I1; and said wall also contains therein the enlarged openings 23 and 24 which are of greater diameters than the Shanks of screws 25 and 26, said screws being adapted to be received by the bushing I5.

The lower shaft I2 extends through the lower bushing 21 which is inserted through the opening 28 in the wall 2| and the axial hole in the bushing 29 preferably by a forced t. The lower portion of the wall 2| also contains the enlarged openings 30 and 3| to accommodate the shanks of the screws 32 and 33, the diameters of said shanks being smaller than those of said openings. Said lower shaft I2 carries the gear 34 suitably secured-thereto by the set screws 35.

, the 'plate 2| For the purposes of this specification, the bushings I5 and 29 will hereinafter be referred to as the outer bushings, and the bushings I1 and 21 as the inner bushings.

Operatively positioned between the two gears I9 and 34 is the large intermediate spur gear 31 preferably made of fibre or other similar' material, this gear operatively intermeshing with the other two gears. The said intermediate gear 31 is mounted upon the bushing 38 and is rotatably supported by the hollowl cylindrical .sleeve 39. The said sleeve is clamped in predetermined position between the plates 2| and 4|I by the bolt 4I and nut 42.v Itis thus apparent that the position off gear 31 with respect to the casing I9, and consequently with respect to the gears I9 and 34. can be varied, inasmuch as "its position is dependent upon that of the sleeve 39,

which is movable with respectto said casing or thereof because of the enlarged axial opening 43 through which the relatively small shank of the bolt 4I extends.

Positioned within the casing I8 and in close proximity to gear 34 is the oil guide plate 44 containing the arcuate recessed portion 45 in close proximity to a peripheral portion of gear 34, and curved to conform with said periphery,

and another arcuate recessed portion 46 curved to conform with the periphery of a portion of gear 31 and adjacent thereto. The juncture of the curved portions 45 and 46 is the inwardly will be noted that `vthe walls 48 and 49 overlap the adjacent portions of the gears 34 and 31.'

At the upper portion of the casing I3 is an oil reservoir 52 which contains an outlet -53 into which is inserted an oil tube 54 communicating with the tubular fitting 55 shown screwed into the housing of the machine I8. The said fitting communicates with oil hole 58 in the outer bushing I6 which coincides with a similar hole in the inner bushing I1 in registry therewith for supplying oil to the shaft Il.

'I'he lower portion of the machine is provided l with oil collecting and retaining means includ- .portion of the machine thaty would be received by the case 51 would naturally iiow into the pan 58. It is thus apparent that the said pan 58 serves as an oil reservoir within which the gear 34 is immersed as shown in Figure 2. The position of the gear 34 is such that the lower portion thereof-is immersed in the oil which is at the level represented by the broken line 59. The outer plate of casing I8 is provided with an enclosed chamber 8| forming an oil receptacle 52 through which extends the shaft I2 and outside of which is positioned the combined pulley and hand wheel I5. Mounted over and affixed to the shaft I2 and adjacent the pulley I5 is the sleeve63 containing an annular expanded portion or collar 84'.

The ruiiiing attachment I3 is operated by van eccentric operatively mounted on the shaft II, the eccentric rod 55 extending through 4an aperture 51 in the frame of the machine and being operatively connected to the ruiiiing shaft 68.

It should be noted that in this invention the machine I0 is, as aforesaid, of the conventional construction, and is used in combination with the inner bushings I1 and 21, the shafts II and I2 and the casing I8 with the structures contained therein. Although most sewing machines of this type are standardized as to controlling dimensions, frequently slight variations appear, such as in the distance between the upper and lower shafts. The structure forming a part of this invention is adapted to be adjustably mounted on the housings of such sewing machines within the limits of the dimensional variations generally found in .these machines, as will be hereinafter more fully described.

The conventional outer bushings I6, and 29 are secured within the housing I8 of the sewing machine, and are adapted to support upper and lower shafts. In lieu of the usual shafts contained within these outer bushings the shafts II and I2 are substituted, these shafts being rotatably supported by the inner bushings I1 and 21. These inner bushings extendy through apertures 22 and 23 respectively within the wall 2| of the casing I8, the upperaperture 22 being of greater diameter than that of shaft I I, whereas the lower aperture 28 is preferably of substantially the same diameter as that of ybushing 21. The wall 2| also contains openings 23, v24, 39 and 3| to accommodate the screws 25, 28, 32 and 33 which serve to secure the casing I8 to the outer bushings I6 and 29, and consequently to the machine housing. It will be noted that the said openings are'larger than the shanks of the screws, and that the heads of the screws are in abutment with the wall 2|.

In assembling the device, the inner bushings |1 and 21 are secured within the outer bushings. preferably by a forced fit, the outer ends of the inner bushings preferably extending into the casing. The shafts |I and I2 are then inserted in place, and the gears I 9 and 34 mounted upon the said shafts, and the gear 31 adjustably, mounted in place in a manner to be hereinafter described. Due to the said enlarged openings and apertures in the wall 2|, the casing, during the process of mounting, can be adjustably located into place in accordance with the position of the two shafts; and thereafter the said screws are tightened to secure the casing in proper fixed relation to the machinehousing I0.

During the operation of adjusting the casing as above described, the axial center of the boss 69 of wall 2| (see Figure 4) is obviously correspondingly moved. When the setting is completed, the sleeve 39, carrying the gear 31, ls positioned in place so that the said middle gear 31 will be in proper engagement with the gears I9 and 34. Thereafter the plate 40, the bolt 4I and nut 42 are tightened so as to hold said sleeve 39 in a fixed position, and the gear 31 in operable relationship with the other two gears.

It will thus be noted that this invention is provided with adjusting means so as to permit the casing and associated parts to be positioned in place in accordance withthe distance between the two shafts.

It will also be observed that for this operation no machining is necessary in the. housing IIJ of the sewing machine, inasmuch as the casing I3 is attached directly to the outer bushings I6 and 29. It will also be observed that .no crankshafts and connecting rods or couplings are employed and that the transmission mechanism merely consists of a train of gears preferably positioned outside of the machine housing. The arrangement is such as to eliminate bearing wear such as occurs in the crankshaft arrangement, and it also eliminates vibration and whip, thereby enabling a smooth operation, either continuously or intermittently, at a relatively high rate `of speed. 'I'his constitutes an improvement over the conventional structures where the shafts consist of several portions coupled together, and where wear and tear and vibration tend to reduce the operating speed of the machine.

The gear 3ft has its lower portion immersed in the oil within the pan 58, as shown clearly in Figure 7. During the operation of this device, the teeth of gearfi, which revolves clockwise as shown in the drawings, carry oil upwardly along the channel 50 formed by the plate 46 and the walls t8 and l49, the oil being carreaches the space between the wall 61, the lower portion of gear 31 and the upper portion of gear 34. The continued action of the gear 34 causes the oil to be pumped out through aperture 5| into the tube 1|I which leads into the reservoir 52. From there it flows outwardly through the tube 54 connected to the fitting 55, and thence through the duct 56 to the shaft I|. Other outlets can be provided from the reservoir 52 toI lubricate other parts of the machine.

Any oil that might be carried further upwardly along surface 46 of plate 44 will flow back downwardly and be returned to the vicinity of the hole 5I. 'I'he overlapping portions'of the walls 4l and 49 serve as retaining member for the oil within the channel 50.

The shaft |2 preferably extends through the wall 60 of casing I8, and has attached tothe terminal `portion thereof the pulley and hand wheel I5, the pulley being driven by belt I4 attached to a suitable motor not shown on the drawings. Positioned preferably exteriorlyV of wall 60is the chamber 6I which serves as a receptacle for any oil that might be carried through the opening 12. Such oil will be thrown back by the 'annular member or sleeve 64 into the receptacle 62, and from there it will be returned through the aperture 13 into the oil pan.

The ruiliing attachment I3 is actuated by the eccentric 65, and Where a machine is not provided with a suitable opening, an aperture 61 is Imilled into the housing to permit the eccentric rod 66 to extend therethrough. It should be y noted that this is the only machining that need be done on the conventional sewing machine for this purpose, and is a simple and inexpensive operation.

The-hand wheel I5, shown combined with the pulley, is positioned near the base of the machine, thereby eliminating the danger of entanglement thereof with any cotton or thread which generally can be found along' the upper right hand portion of the machine shown in Figure 1. The ruftling attachment is also remote from the upper .right hand corner of the machine, so that the danger of entanglement with threads is also eliminated. This is an improvement over the conventional machines where the hand wheel andI ruiiling attachments are generally positioned outside of the machine at the said upper right hand corner thereof.

With further reference to the intermediate gear 31. the adjustable feature thereof "is of considerable use in taking up wear on the teeth thereof as a result of continued operation. Inasmuch as this gear is preferably made of some brous material, it is readily subject to wear and hence such adjustment is a decided advantage.

It should further be noted that there is still another adjustable feature with reference to the lubricating mechanism above described. The oil channel assembly 50 is attached in place by set `screws 15, these screws extending through elongated openings 16 asindicated. Should it be necessary to alter the position of the said channel with respect to the gears 3Q and 31, either to compensate for wear of the gears or to provide either a greater or lesser clearance between the channel and these gears, the entire channel block can be moved either to the left or to the right, to any desired position within the limitations of the length of the slots 16. This. arrangement hence provides an adjustment that may be found to be necessary or desirable lfor the effective operation of this apparatus. i.

It will thus be seen that by means ofthis vention a standard or conventional sewingvfma'- chine of the type above referred, tocan.' be equipped with a high speed transmissionmechanism, adapted to be applied to machines of slight- 1y' different dimensional design; and it willl be noted that the transmission mechanism serves as a pumping device for automatically supplying oil to the machine`the structure being leakproof to prevent oil from seeping out, and being arranged `so as to eliminate the danger of thread gear, saidmounting being adjustably movable 'with respect to the position of the two shafts whereby the intermediate gear will be adjustable drawings are illustrative of myinvention and not employed by-way of limitation, inasmuch as `without departing from the spirit of this invention. l

What I claim'is:

1. In a sewing machine containing a housing for an upper and a lower shaft, supporting means for said shafts contained within the housing,\a casing attached to said housing, two shafts operatively associated with the machine and carried by said supporting means and extending into the casing, a gear ailixed to each of said shafts within the casing, an intermediate gear in operative engagement with said other two gears, and an adjustable mounting for said intermediate relative to the other two gears.

2. 'In a sewing machine containing a housing with two outer bushings for supporting an upper and a lower shaft, two inner bushings secured within said outer bushings and extending outwardly therebeyond, a casing adjustably attached to the -said outer bushings and having apertures in a wall thereof through which said inner bushings extend, two shafts voperatively associated with the machine and rotatably supported by said inner bushings and extending into the casing, a gear aiilxed to each of said shafts within the casing, an intermediate gear in operative engagement with' said other two gears, and an adjustable mounting for said intermediate gear, said mounting being adjustably movable with respect to the position of the two shafts whereby the intermediate gear will be adjustable relative to the other two gears.

3. In a sewing machine containing a housing with two outer bushings for supporting an upper and a lowr shaft, two inner bushings secured within said outer bushings and extending outwardly therebeyond, a casing adjustably attached to the said outer bushings and having apertures in a wall thereof through which said inner bushings extend, at least one of said apertures being of greater diameter than that of the inner bushing extending therethrough, the said wall of the casing containing a plurality of holes adjacent said outer bushings, screws with shanks of smaller diameters than that of said holes and extending therethrough and in operative engagement with said outer bushings and the casing to adjustably hold the'casing in place, two shafts operatively associated with the machine and rotatably supported by said inner bushings and extending into the casing, a gear aflixed to each of ,said shafts within the casing, an intermediate gear-in operative engagement with said other two gears, and an adjustable mounting for said intermediate gear, said mounting being adjustably movable with respect to the position of the two shafts whereby the intermediate gear will be adjustable relative to the other two gears.

4..In a sewing machine containing a housing for an upper and a lower shaft, supporting means for said shafts contained within the housing, a casing attached to said housing, two shafts operatively associated with the-machine andcarried by said supporting means and extending into the casing, a gear amxed toeach of said shafts within the casing, an adjustably mounted intermediate gear in operative engagement with said other two gears, thelowest of said gears being immersed in on, an ou outlet in the region adjoining uw contacting portions of said lower and intermediate gears. an oil conduit from said 'outlet to predetermined portions of the machine, and oil conveying means for carrying oil forced upwardly by the teeth of said lower gear to said outlet.

5. In a sewing machine containing a housing for an upper and a lower shaft, supporting means for said shafts contained within the housing, a

casing attached to said housing, two shafts operatively associated with the machine and carriedA by said supporting means and extending into the casing, a gear aillxed to each of said shafts within the casing, an adjustably mounted intermediate gear in operative engagement with said other two gears, the lowest of said gears being immersed in oil, an oil outlet in the region adjoining the `contacting portions of said lower and intermediate gearsfan oil conduit from said outlet to predetermined Aportions of the machine, an oil channel extending through the said supporting means for one of said shafts, a tubular fitting secured to the housing of the machine and in operative registry with said channel, the said oil conduit communicating with the opening in said fitting, and oil conveying means for carrying-oil forced upwardly by the teeth of said lower gear to said outlet.

6. In a sewing machine containing a housing for an upper and a lower shaft, supporting means for said shafts contained within the housing, a casing attached to said housing, two shafts operatively associated with the machine and carried by said supporting means and extendingv into the casing, a gear afxed to each of said shafts within the casing, an adjustably mounted intermediate gear in operative engagement with said other two gears, the lowest of said gears being immersed in oil, an oil outlet in the region adjoining the contacting portions of said lower and intermediate gears, an oil conduit extending from said outlet, an oil reservoir at the upper portion of the casing, said conduit extending into said reservoir, an outlet opening from the reservoir, oil distributing means from said outlet opening to predetermined portions of the machine, and oil conveying means for carrying oil forced upwardly by the teeth of said lower gear to said outlet.

7.` In a sewing machine containing a housing for an upper and a lower shaft, supporting means for said shafts contained within the housing, a casing attached to said housing, two shafts operatively associated with the machine and carried by said supporting means and vextending into the casing, a gear affixed to each of said shafts within the casing, an adjustably mounted intermediate gear in operative .engagement with said other two gears, the lowest of said lgears being immersed in oil, an oil outlet in the region adjoining the contacting portions of said lower and intermediate gears, an oil conduit from said outlet to-predetermined portions ofthe machine, and a substantially arcuate oil channel adjacent a. peripheral portion of said lower gear and curved to conform therewith for conveying oil forced upwardly by the teeth of said lower gear, the walls of said channel overlapping the adjacent portion of said lower gear.

8. In va. sewing machine containing a housing for an upper and a lower shaft, supporting means for said shafts containedV within the housing, a casing attached to said housing, two shafts operatively associated with the machine-and carried by said supporting means and extending into the of said gears being immersed in oil, an oil outlet in the region adjoining the contacting portions of said lower and intermediate gears, an oil conj duit from said outlet to predetermined portions of the machine, oil conveying means for carrying oil forced upwardly by the teeth of said lower gear to said outlet, and oil return means for conveying back oil carried beyond said outlet, said oil conveying and return means comprising a plate with an edge thereof containing two substantially arcuate portions in close proximity to adjacent peripheral portions of said lower and intermediate gears and curved to conform therewith, and lateral walls flanking said plate and extending beyond said edge thereof.

9. In a sewing machine containing a housing for an upper and a lower shaft, supporting means for said shafts contained within the housing, a casing attached to said housing, two shafts operatively associated with the machine and carried by said supporting means and extending into the casing, a gear aiilxed to each of said shafts Within the casing, an intermediate gear in operative engagement with said other two gears, the lowest f said gears being immersed in oil, an oil outlet in the region adjoining the contacting portions of said lower and intermediate gears, an oil conduit extending from said outlet, an oil reservoir at the upper portion lof the casing, said conduit extending into said reservoir, an outlet opening from the reservoir, oil distributing means from said outlet opening to predetermined portions of the machine, and loil conveying means for carrying oil forced upwardly by the teeth of said lower gear to said outlet, said casing carrying said reservoir, said oil conveying means and the mounting for said intermediate gear.

10. In a sewing machine containing a housing for an upper and a lower shaft, supporting means for said shafts contained within the housing, a casing attached to said housing, two shafts operatively associated with the machine and carried by said supporting means and extending into the casing, a gear affixed to each of said shafts within the casing, an intermediate gear in operative en justable mounting for said intermediate gear, said mounting comprising a hollow cylindrical sleeve rotatably supporting the intermediate gear, a plate engaging an end of the'sleeve, the other end of the sleeve engaging a Wall of the jcasing, a

gagement with said other two gears, and anad-v 4Gil bolt with a shank diameter less than thatof the axial hole of the sleeve andl extending therethrough and through said plate andsaid wall, and a nut in threaded engagement with the extremity of t-he bolt and abutting said wall of the casing whereby the sleeve is held clamped against the wall and plate.

11. In a sewing machine containing a housing for an upper and a lower shaft, supporting means for said shafts contained within the housing, a casing attached to said housing, two shafts operatively associated with the machine and carried by said supporting means and extending into the casing, a gear afxed to each of said shafts within the casing, an intermediate gear in operative engagement with said other two gears, one of said shafts extending through the outer wall of the casing and adapted to be rotatably actuated by suitable driving means, a ring mounted upon the shaft and positioned adjacent said outer wall for holding oil carried by its shaft from further outward movement, and a receptacle for receiving any oil thrown back by said ring during the rotation of its shaft. f 12. In a sewing machine containing a housing for an upper and a lower shaft, supporting means for said shafts contained within thehousing, a casing attached to said housing, two shafts operatively associated with the machine and carried by said supporting means and extending into the casing, a gear alxed to each of said shafts within the casing, an intermediate gear in operative engagementwith said other two gears, and a chamber associated with the casing, one of said shafts extending through the casing and chamber and vadapted to be rotatably actuated by sultable driving means, a ring mounted upon the shaft and positioned within said chamber for throwing back into the chamber any oil carried thereagainst by the shaft, said chamber containing an outlet for returning the oil to the casing.

CHARLES MEYER. 

